Cohen Media packages together two early British film noirs. As counterpoints to their American films, these films offer unique British favored crime stories. Of the two, Dancing with Crime (1947) is the more interesting post-war thriller. There is plenty of sleaze and repressed anger under the surface. The Green Cockatoo is in rough condition considering its age, but it makes a fine bonus feature on this disc.

Dancing with Crime tells the story of honest cab driver Ted (Richard Attenborough) and his fiance (Sheila Sim) who discover that their childhood friend is messing around with the mob. Once he is killed and found in Ted’s Cab, the young couple decides to solve their friend’s murder. 

Released in 1947, Dancing with Crime is a tight thriller with plenty of wit and character. The plot is your standard noir fare with not much in the way of original twists. The film itself looks fantastic with bold cinematography and stage direction. Reginald H. Wyer’s camerawork is masterful from the first shot. The camera never stands idle. In some shots that look referenced in later films by Brian De Palma, we see the camera crane up and look at the various levels of the dance hall. One of the best scenes also uses deep focus and goes with a tight close-up and then to the doorway of a shooting. The editing also cuts fast and never lingers too long on the details. The pacing is top-notch. 

The screenplay by Brock Williams is packed with wit and sleazy slang. The dialogue is just as sharp as some American noir, like Force of Evil, with menace and humor in all the one-liners. As an American viewer, it’s fascinating to hear some of the post-war British anxieties and pop culture. Ted Peters as a character fits in with the troubled youth who came out of the war. It makes sense why he would be action-ready and still native to his young age. That does bring up one issue I had with the film is Richard Attenborough’s performance in terms of the action of the story. It feels like his character goes from two extremes without much notice. He is so at home with the quiet amateur detective scenes but his action scenes are so awkward. I was taken out of the tension whenever he burst into a fistfight. 

The rest of the cast is a better fit. Sheila Sim is a fun female lead who does most of the heavy lifting in discovering the gangsters’ plot. She plays the extremes of the drama well and has an easy chemistry with Attenborough (who she was married to at the time). Barry K. Barnes plays the pretty boy gangster Paul, who is a dead ringer for a young Patrick McGoohan. He is a great slick villain who is ultimately not as cool under pressure as he wants to be. Barry Jones steals the movie as the sinister mob boss Mr. Gregory. In lesser hands, the role of Gregory could be a one-note villain, but Jones makes him sinister and watchable. His best scene is when he interacts with Ted posing as a detective. 

Dancing with Crime is a polished and exciting noir. Its only downfall is some of the unconvincing action scenes with Attenborough. But for pure suspense, it’s a fun under-appreciated film. 

The Green Cockatoo (1937 but released in 1940) is a visually impressive noir that is held back by its standard plot. It’s hard to rate it as an underrated classic when it’s not as memorable outside of its moody visuals. The plot is centered around a wannabe gangster named Dave Connor (Robert Newton) who gets in over his head when he steals some money from boss Terrell (Charles Oliver). He is saved from a public killing by running into country girl Eileen (Rene Ray). Her first day in London is soon turned into a cat and mouse game with the cops and gangsters as she is the last one to see Dave alive. His last words are to find his brother Jim (John Mills) who works at The Green Cockatoo. 

As a noir the plot is simple and the screenplay fails to make it stand out. The only memorable elements are the comic bits about American style and British style. Jim makes a point of ordering coffee instead of tea and carries himself with an “American Swagger”. Another fun bit is the message at the start about the evils of the big city and the more honest living of a small town. It’s curious that the story is from novelist Graham Greene and yet none of these ideas are fleshed out. It’s probably thanks to this film’s short runtime of 65 minutes. The climax is rushed too and leaves the film with a letdown of an ending. Director William Cameron Menzies (The Maze, Things To Come) keeps the film watchable thanks to the impressive camerawork and shadows. 

This Blu-ray from Cohen Media Group does a wonderful job showcasing Dancing with Crime with The Green Cockatoo treated more like a bonus feature. The picture quality of Green is mostly good for a film with this much print damage. The 2.0 English Audio sounds fine with some slight hiss in the background. The print of Green is so rough that it’s hard to read any details on the actor’s faces. 

The print of Dancing with Crime is outstanding with well-defined black levels and next to no print damage. The audio is also clear with no hiss or pops. English subtitles are included with both. The only extra feature is a trailer for Dancing with Crime.

Cohen brings two obscure British crime films to Blu-ray stateside. Dancing with Crime comes highly recommended. I’m ready to watch it again. Sadly, The Green Cockatoo is passable at best but a fun curiosity. 

Directors- John Paddy Carstairs, William Cameron Menzies.

Cast- Richard Attenborough, John Mills

Country of Origin- UK

Format- Blu-ray

Distributor- Cohen Media Group

Reviewer- Tyler Miller